Winners and Losers
by Rainstone18
Summary: (Short Story) Lionclaw and Addershade have always been the best of friends, but tensions rise when Lionclaw in favored by their leader, and the clan, and Addershade is left in the dust. Life is a game, and it's up to you to decide if you win...or lose.


**Hey guys, I'm soooo sorry I've been so inactive with We Will Soar, I've just had a lot of stuff going on. But out of one of those things that takes up my time -school- I can bring you this! I had to write a short story for school that told most of the story using flashbacks. I'm homeschooled, so my mom let me use Warriors for the story. This is kinda like a one-shot, but it's longer than that, so I'm just calling it a short story XD I hope you like it**

* * *

Lionclaw stalked along the edge of the long, sandy beach, small waves occasionally sweeping over his large white paws, thoroughly soaking them. Unsheathing his long, sharp claws, he dug them into the soft sand and pushed off, dashing forward towards a lone young seagull. The bird still had a frill of down feathers around it's neck and short, undeveloped flight feathers, making it a quick and easy catch.

As the golden tabby snapped it's neck in his strong jaws, he felt no joy, no pride in his kill; only deep pain, guilt...and fear. Picking up his dead seagull, once again he continued his walk along the shoreline, his mind whirling with thoughts and memories so deeply buried he had almost forgotten them.

A growl rumbled deep in his throat, but, surprising even to him, it was replaced by a pitiful whimper, full of sadness and loneliness, like that of a scared kit who had lost it's mother. Lionclaw hadn't lost his mother, she was safely back at camp, probably eating or grooming, but he had lost the next closest person to him in his life; and it was all his fault.

* * *

"Come on Adderkit, quit being such a lazy-bum!" A few seconds after the playful taunts had been spoken, a whirlwind of soft kit fur and sheathed paws erupted out of the nursery and tumbled out into the main clearing. Little play growls and yowls escape their jaws as the two kits wrestled in the dust.

"I am _not_ lazy!" "Are too!" "Are not!" Are too!" Their silly little argument went on until the bigger of the kits, a large golden tabby with a white chest splash and large white paws, pinned down the smaller kit, a dusty brown tabby with dark stripes and a long tail, to the ground.

Spitting with mock fury, the golden tabby hissed, "You _dare_ defy me, the great and powerful Lionstar?" Swiping feebly at 'the great and powerful Lionstar', the brown kit mewed, "Yes! Now get off me before I get my AdderClan warriors to attack you!" Laughing, Lionkit backed away from his friend, letting him stand up on his paws.

Hissing in exasperation, Adderkit mewed, "Why do you always win? Why can't _I_ win for once?" Purring, Lionkit wove around his friend, nuzzling his cheek. "You will win someday...just not today!"

With that Lionkit swiped a teasing paw at his friend, but before another fight could break out Lionkit's mother Gullfeather rushed over to them and yowled, "How did you get so dirty? I just groomed you this morning! Honestly, I don't now how you manage to pick up every single speck of dust in the camp in the matter of _one_ morning! And before your apprentice ceremony at that!"

With that, the frantic queen set to work roughly grooming Lionkit, ignoring his squeaks of protest. Meeting Adderkit's calm yellow gaze, Lionkit mouthed the words 'Help me', which made Adderkit narrow his eyes teasingly and turn his back, mewing, "You're on your own Lionkit."

* * *

Later, as the sun rose farther into the sky, the leader of WaveClan, Sharkstar, called a meeting from the Waverock, a large boulder that the elders say had been washed into the camp by a powerful sea storm many moons ago. "Let all cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!"

Lionkit and Adderkit were ushered out of the nursery by their mothers, their still fluffy kitten fur gleaming in the bright sunlight. The two young toms stood at the edge of the crowd, waiting for Sharkstar to summon them up to the front.

Lionkit felt Adderkit trembling against his flank, his breath coming in gasps. Leaning down to lick the smaller kit's ear, Lionkit gave him a encouraging look before stepping forward as Sharkstar called his name.

Mews of excitement came from the surrounding cats, but they ceased when Lionkit reached the base of the Waverock and Sharkstar raised his tail for silence. Beginning the ceremony, he yowled, "Today two kits have the honor of being fully admitted into clan life."

Jumping down from the large rock, Sharkstar stood in front of Lionkit. The muscular dark gray tom continued the ceremony; "Lionkit, from this day forward you shall be known as Lionpaw. Craclaw shall be your mentor." Gasping in surprise, Lionpaw turned to see the bright ginger deputy emerge from the crowd and bend down to touch noses with him.

* * *

Lionpaw got the deputy! Adderkit's jaws hung open in astonishment. When the crowd started to call Lionpaw's name in congratulations, he joined in, happy for his friend but at the same time a bit jealous.

He pushed down his feelings when he heard Sharkstar call his name next. Padding timidly into the clearing, he saw the warriors look him up and down cynically, which only worsened his self-consciousness.

Adderkit always seemed small compared to Lionkit. While his friend had a large, muscular body and broad shoulders, he had a small, thin complexion; he is what you would call scrawny. Though for what he lacked in strength he made up for in smarts.

When he reached the base of the rock, Sharkstar looked down at him and yowled, "Adderkit, from this day forward you shall be known as Adderpaw. Sootshade shall be your mentor."

Adderpaw was taken aback. Sootshade was his mentor? Sootshade was laziest warrior there even was! The one apprentice he had mentored in the past ended up so behind in his lessons that Sharkstar had to appoint him a new mentor.

A faint growl rumbling in his throat, he turned to see the fat ashy gray tom stumble from the crowd and, sighing with annoyance, touched noses with his new apprentice. _Lucky Lionpaw, he gets the deputy while I get the slump!_

* * *

"Okay, who wants to fight first?" Crabclaw, Sootshade, and Ivystripe had taken their apprentices to the training hollow for some fighting practice. Lionpaw's ears perked up and he mewed, "I'll go first Crabclaw."

Stepping into the shady training arena, he heard paw steps behind him and saw Vinepaw, Ivystripe's pretty apprentice, following him. She must be his first challenger.

The mentors stepped back to give the two room while Adderpaw watched, his eyes wide with excitement. Beaming, he yowled, "Go Lionpaw!" before he settled down on a warm, sandy patch of ground and waited for the fight to unfold.

The two young cats circled each other, their fangs bared in menacing growls. Fast as lightning, Lionpaw leaped for Vinepaw, striking a blow on her flank. Hissing, Vinepaw rushed forward and nipped at Lionpaw's neck. He dodged just in time and used her momentary confusion to jump on her and roll her to the ground, pinning her.

His eyes gleaming with satisfaction, he stepped off of the older apprentice and mewed, "I win, I guess?" Grinning, Vinepaw got up and flicked her tail to summon Adderpaw into the arena.

* * *

 _Oh no! How can I take on a older apprentice? Sootshade hasn't taut me to fight yet!_ Gulping nervously, Adderpaw stepped into the arena, his legs shaking wildly, and met Vinepaw's challenging gaze.

He glanced over in Sootshade's direction, thinking he could maybe give him some advice, maybe even a lesson, but then he saw that his mentor was sleeping, his snores ringing around the clearing.

Growling in anger, Adderpaw crouched down into his best battle stance, which was quite laughable, and began to circle Vinepaw. All of a sudden, the larger apprentice sprang forward and grabbed his scruff in her jaws.

Yowling in panic, he flailed desperately, trying to free himself, but it was no use. Adderpaw sighed in relief as Vinepaw dropped him. Looking down at him with a smug grin, she mewed, "That was easy!"

Shaking the dust off his fur, Adderpaw marched over to Sootshade and prodded him fiercely in the flank. "Wake up, I need to talk to you!" Sootshade opened his eyes and mewed reproachfully, "What is it kid? Make it quick, I was having the best dream."

Hissing, Adderpaw mewed, "Oh, what was it about? Was it about training an apprentice to be a successful warrior, because that could only happen in your dreams!" That got Sootshade's attention. Rising to his paws, the fat tom hissed down at Adderpaw, "Don't you take that tone of voice with me young'un, I've taut you just fine!"

Adderpaw's shoulder fur fluffed up in anger as he hissed back, "You haven't taut me a single thing! I just got struck down like I was a piece of prey, no thanks to you!" Adderpaw was fully aware that the other two mentors and apprentices were watching in astonishment, but he didn't care. _Maybe if they see how much of a bum Sootshade is, I can get a new mentor, one that will actually care about my training!_

A hard blow striking his head drew him from his thoughts, and he yowled in alarm. Sootshade's claws were unsheathed, his teeth bared as he hissed, "Don't you disrespect me Adderpaw, I am your mentor, and you have to do whatever I say, got it?"

Maybe it was the furious glint in Sootshade's amber eyes, or maybe it was the blood running down the side of his head, but Adderpaw couldn't stop himself as he ran off into the forest, tears streaming down his thin face.

* * *

From that day on many things changed for Adderpaw. He gained a torn ear and a jagged scar underneath it that he would bear for the rest of his life. Crabclaw appealed to Sharkstar about getting Adderpaw a new mentor, but Sharkstar refused, saying that they were 'the perfect match'.

Furious, Crabclaw took Adderpaw under his wing, and became his unofficial mentor, going behind Sharkstar's back. When Sharkstar found out he demoted Crabclaw from the deputy position and named Ternfeather in his place.

Adderpaw and Lionpaw trained together, and eventually Adderpaw got the hang of fighting. Though he was just an average fighter, hunting is where he truly excelled. Due to his thin body and smart tactics, he was able to sneak up on anything that was fit to eat.

Lionpaw excelled as well, his battle skills almost matching his mentor's impressive talent. He and Adderpaw were very good friends throughout their apprenticeship, and eventually they gained their warrior names together.

Lionpaw was named Lionclaw for his amazing battle skills, and Adderpaw was named Addershade, after his 'amazing' mentor. It was Sharkstar's way of reminding Crabclaw of what he did, and why he was demoted; but no matter what, Crabclaw was proud of what he did, and would never regret it.

* * *

A few moons after their warrior ceremony, Lionclaw and Addershade were hunting near the creek that flowed from CreekClan territory. Crouching among the marsh grass that bordered the small, murky waterway, the two toms were stalking a female duck.

Slowly, the two moved as one into position until they were a few tail lengths from their quarry. At Addershade's signal, Lionclaw stood up and yowled, scaring the duck in Addershade's direction, who sprung out of the bushes and finished it off with a bite to the neck.

"Wow Addershade, nice catch!" With the duck clamped in his jaws, all Addershade could do was nod, his eyes shining. Slowly, the two made their way back to camp, taking turns carrying the large bird.

When they eventually dragged the bird through the camp entrance, several cats bombarded Lionclaw with congratulations and praise. Addershade's ears flattened down in annoyance, but Lionclaw mewed proudly, "It's Addershade's catch, I only helped scare it over to him."

To the surrounding cats the duck seemed a lot less impressive now. They stalked back to their meals, whispering to each other and throwing resentful glares back at Addershade. Lionclaw turned to his friend to comfort him, but before he could Sharkstar called him from where he was eating with the other high ranking cats.

Lionclaw whispered, "I gotta go." to Addershade before grabbing a blue crab from the fresh-kill pile and trotting off to join them.

* * *

Addershade's long claws flexed in and out of their sheathes as he watched his best friend trot off to join the leader, deputy, and senior warriors to eat. _How is that fair huh? Nope, no cat gets special treatment in WaveClan!_

Turning away from the irritating scene, he came face to face with the warrior Shellnose. Addershade had never really talked to Shellnose, he always seemed a bit strange to him. Addershade opened his jaws to speak but Shellnose motioned with his tail for silence.

Sitting down, he mewed in his rough, gravely voice, "Hard to look at eh? Your friend being treated like he's leader already?" His eyes wide with shock and amazement, Addershade mewed, "H..how did you know how I feel?"

Meeting Shellnose's light blue gaze, the other tom hissed, "I could see it in your eyes, the hurt, the betrayal...the jealousy." Addershade drank in the tom's every word as he continued.

"It's an unspoken tradition for the leaders of the clans to favor the cat that they want to be leader after them. Sharkstar was favored by our old leader Duskstar, and now he's favoring Lionclaw, or should I say the future Lionstar."

Addershade unsheathed his claws at the name, the blood roaring in his ears. Sighing, Shellnose mewed, "It's a pity that the clans have come to this, giving the strong, promising cats extra attention and giving the average ones, like you, the short end of the stick."

Growling, Addershade stood up and hissed, "I am _not_ average!" Though he must have looked threatening, his eyes wild, his fur fluffed up, Shellnose only blinked calmly and mewed, "I know you aren't." Before Addershade could say anything, Shellnose mewed, "Come, I want to show you something."

* * *

The setting sun was beginning to fall into the ocean, making the water shine bright shades of red and orange. Lionclaw was laying beside his mate Vinetail and the two were sharing a seagull and chatting.

Soon, some of the pair's friends joined them, but Lionclaw noticed someone was missing. Addershade. Looking up, he glanced around the camp until he found his old friend, who was standing by the camp wall.

He was about to yowl at him to come join them but he realized that Addershade was searching for something. Suddenly, Addershade slipped through a hole in the camp wall and out into the territory.

Murmuring to his mate that he had to go get a drink, he slipped out of the main camp entrance and caught his friend's scent. It was leading towed the EchoClan border, and Lionclaw followed his scent until he caught up with Addershade.

The brown tabby tom was laying beside a large rock, and seemed to be waiting for something. Taking a deep breath, Lionclaw stepped from the shadows and mewed, "Addershade, what are you doing?"

The tom visibly flinched, and turned around, his yellow eyes gleaming in the half-light. Emerging from the dark shade of the rock, Addershade mewed suspiciously, "What's it to you?"

Narrowing his eyes, Lionclaw realized that Addershade was acting strange. His ears swiveled around and his paws shuffled nervously. Putting a smile on his face, Lionclaw head-butted Addershade's shoulder and mewed, "Adder, you know you can tell me anything, right? I want to help you, if you need help."

Sighing, Addershade seemed to give in and sat down, Lionclaw copying his movements. Taking a deep breath, Addershade began to speak. "Six moons ago, Shellnose approached me and told me about The Rebellion. It's a group of clan cats who are fed up with how the clans are being led these days. They think that the clan leaders are corrupt, destroying the clans from the inside out."

Unsheathing his long claws, he continued, his voice edged with fury. "They give special treatment to their strong warriors and leave the average ones in the dust. Don't tell me you of all cats haven't noticed?" Lionclaw shook his head no, he had never noticed.

Eyeing him, Addershade continued, "I agreed to join the rebellion, to help them gain support and members, and I have! Almost half of WaveClan is part of The Rebellion, thanks to me."

Lionclaw barely kept himself from yowling in horror. His best friend was a traitor? Lionclaw forced himself to mew, "Go on." Smiling, Addershade hissed, "Once we have more support in CreekClan and EchoClan, we will launch an attack, and take over the clans. I have already been appointed as WaveClan's new leader when we take over, except it won't be WaveClan anymore."

He stood tall, his head raised high as he mewed, "It will be knows as AdderClan."

* * *

Lionclaw's heart was pounding so loud that he could barely hear Addershade's next words. "Lionclaw, please consider joining us, joining _me_. I...I don't want to have to kill you when the battle comes. You are the greatest friend I have ever had, and I don't want to lose you."

Lionclaw kept a cool demeanor, but inside his belly churned with the thought of what he had to do. "Who else in our clan are part of The Rebellion?" Addershade listed off their names quickly, and Lionclaw could hardly believe his ears. Shellnose, Spottedtuft, Leafstripe, Sandyclaw, Brownfur, Crabclaw... these were cats that he had fought beside countless times, how could they betray their clan like this?

"So, will you join?" Addershade's question jolted him out of his thoughts and back to the present situation. Addershade's intense yellow gaze pierced his soul, and he remembered how they had played as kits, where fighting enemies was nothing more than a game and the thought of real danger sent them running back to their mother's sides.

Closing his eyes, he relished in these memories, these last pieces of their happy past, before he opened his eyes and mewed, "No."

Fast as lightning, Addershade jumped onto Lionclaw's back and dug his claws in. Oh, how could he have told his friend so much? Now he _had_ to kill him. Try as he might to hold on and sink his teeth into Lionclaw's neck, the larger tom shrugged him off like a bothersome kit and mewed, "I'm so sorry." before running off into the darkness.

* * *

Lionclaw sat next to Sharkstar on the Waverock and watched as his leader put his best friend through the customary trial for traitors. Addershade was keeping his silence, only staring at Lionclaw with pure hatred in his eyes until Lionclaw had to look away.

"Lionclaw, sense this traitor does not wish to speak, you speak. What are the names of the other traitors?"

Lionclaw's heart dropped as he obeyed his leaders command and listed out the names of his clan mates, the traitors. All of the cats stood up as their names were called and joined Addershade in the center of the clearing, which about amounted to half the clan.

Sharkstar hung his large dark gray head and mewed, "How could my own clan betray me like this?" After that brief moment of doubt, Sharkstar raised his head and yowled, "By the authority granted in me by our warrior ancestors, I banish all of you from the ranks of WaveClan. If you are caught in our territory after this you will be killed on sight."

All of the banished cats got a chance to say their last words to their families and friends, but when Addershade's turn came, he addressed the whole clan.

Fury blazing in his eyes, he hissed, "Cats of WaveClan, you have done nothing but judge me and look down on me from the day I was born. You taunted me for being small, weak, puny; but in the end, I was the strongest of you all!"

He paused for a moment to get his breath. "I would have been the leader of a great new age, one filled with equality and love. That will never happen now, thanks to the cat who I thought I could trust, Lionclaw."

Lionclaw's eyes stretched wide as Addershade walked up to him, his fangs bared in a furious snarl. "I was always your shadow Lionclaw, the follower who was never good enough to be your equal. While you got treated like hero, I got treated like the villain. So I accepted my position, and you know what? It was the best decision of my life."

Addershade pressed his forehead to Lionclaw's and whispered menacingly, "I will find you Lionclaw, someday when you are alone and scared, I will leap from the shadows and get my vengeance. I _will_ win this time." With that, the brown tom turned his back on Lionclaw, on the clan, and walked out of the camp, disappearing into the unknown.

* * *

The feeling of claws latching onto his shoulders brought Lionclaw back from the world of his memories. He yowled as the unknown cat dragged him into the deeper water and held him down below the surface.

Lionclaw thrashed and struggled, resisting the urge to breathe in water, and was able to break free from the cat's grip and raise his head above the water before he ran out of air. Gasping for air, Lionclaw turned around and saw the cat he had not seen for weeks, the cat who had betrayed his clan, the cat who had betrayed _him:_ Addershade.

Before Lionclaw could do anything, Addershade let out a wild yowl and dashed towed him. Lionclaw bolted for the shore, relieved when his paws touched dry ground, only to gasp in fear when they were swept from under him and he landed on his side, under Addershade's sharpened claws.

Lionclaw gazed into Addershade's bright yellow eyes, thinking of the times when those eyes were filled with playful challenge, but now they just shone with raw hatred. The last thing Lionclaw saw was Addershade's claws glinting in the sunlight before they slashed his throat open and his vision filled with stars.

* * *

Addershade slowly dragged Lionclaw's body to the highest cliff in WaveClan territory, an area known as Dusk's Peak. It took him quite a while to get there, Lionclaw was not a light cat, even in death.

Dropping his friend's lifeless form, he nudged it until it was right at the edge of the cliff face. He then gave it one final nudge that sent his friend's golden tabby form falling from the cliff and into the dark water below, never to be seen again.

Looking up from the swirling waves, Addershade hissed, his voice raspy with feeling, "You were right Lionclaw, when you said that I would win someday. I bet you just didn't think it would be your demise." Raising his head up into the air, Addershade yowled as loud as he could, "I won!"


End file.
